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NSW AAGPS Rugby 2016

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Azzuri

Trevor Allan (34)
But they aren't "holding a competition between teams", which is the correct way to go IMO.

Junior rugby should be about learning skills in a competitive environment. There's far too much emphasis on "winning competitions" in the younger age groups in club land and nowhere near enough emphasis on coaching players.


I agree in general however the majority of junior rugby (i.e outside of the private system) is played as a competition, so the private system is the anomaly even if technically it is the "better" way to go.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I agree in general however the majority of junior rugby (i.e outside of the private system) is played as a competition, so the private system is the anomaly even if technically it is the "better" way to go.

And how is junior rugby outside of the private system going?
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I agree with the sentiment QH, but the boys involved very much believe they are playing in a competition and can tell you where each team in their age group sits, including for and against required to split teams on even points. Arguably if they are going to construct a table anyway, it wouldn't hurt to have one provided and it wouldnt have to be at the expense of maintaining the emphasis you speak of.

There's a world of difference between boys knowing how many games that they've won and "constructing"points tables to official recognition with trophies and premiers. Once the latter arrives the whole dynamic changes, coaches become judged on winning premierships rather than educating players.

If the boys have the satisfaction of "knowing" that they are better than others, do they really need a trophy to prove it?

It strikes me that the only people calling for the introduction of such things are adults. Let the kids be kids. Let then enjoy their sport for the sake of it. Plenty of time and plenty of avenues to win trophies if that's what drives them (which for most kids I strongly doubt that that is their motivation). In fact most studies indicate that kids play sport for enjoyment.

This does not mean that I am against competion or opposed to winners and losers. Each game is a stand alone fixture with a winner and a loser. A far better way to go at the age group level of school sport IMO.
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
I have previously posted some studies from the US on this. I couldn't find all of them, but a couple of snippets:

Thirty percent of youth report negative actions of coaches and parents as their reason for quitting sport.8
Other reasons cited for sports attrition linked to coaching behavior included favoritism, poor teaching skills, and increased pressure to win, all of which created a negative atmosphere and decreased the fun of playing sport.5
Combating sports-related injuries, high-pressure environments, and negative behavior on the part of both parents and coaches appears to be an initial viable intervention to mitigate problems in youth sport.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3871410/

Youth sports participation has evolved from child-driven, recreational free play for enjoyment to adult-driven, highly structured, deliberate practice devoted to sports-specific skill development.
The reality is that few athletes achieve the elite or professional level.35 Less than 1% of young athletes 6 to 17 years of age achieve elite status in basketball, soccer, baseball, softball, or football.35 The data are similar for Germany21 and Australia.39
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3658407/
 

Props rule

Frank Nicholson (4)
we are talking about 13, 14 and 15 year old boys who are playing competitive games of rugby every week with the aim being to beat the other team on the day - the joy is in winning and the learning is in losing and coming back the following week . If the goal was just to develop and cocoon them from competition they would simply train all the time without playing the game which wouldn't be much fun. Think we all go a little soft sometimes. you can't tell me the coaches aren't already competitive and encouraging the boys to win and just by having a table their behaviour will change. As in everything there are good coaches and bad coaches who develop players and those who just want to win. IMO they are old enough to understand not everyone can win all the time so have a table - the boys know it anyway
 

Props rule

Frank Nicholson (4)
Anyway good luck to all the boys who are playing tomorrow whether it is in the 13g's or the 1st 15 - I know they will all be trying to win the game on the day
 

Quick Hands

David Wilson (68)
Far from being "cocooned", I'd suggest that the youth of today are under far more pressure than any previous generation - as evidenced by the youth suicide rate in Australia, which is one of the highest in the world and in which young males are significantly over represented..
 

Props rule

Frank Nicholson (4)
Not my place to be commenting on larger social issues on a rugby forum. IMO rugby in gps must be one of few sports who run a competition without running a competition - all I was after was a view on how the different schools go in the younger ages and agree with the idea to play a gps v cas final at the end of the season for the winner of the younger A (maybe B) comps. Not sure that is going to put that much pressure on kids to do the things you suggest but that is my opinion
 

Crackerjack

Bill Watson (15)
Round 8 here already.

'Fat ladies sing', don't they? But only when they're good and ready; only when it's 'time'. 7 Rounds in, and I can spot no gravitationally challenged divas even beginning to warm up their vocals, just yet.

Mere "mathematical possibilities" are what they are. Maybe an interesting HSC Trials warm-up for the 2 Unit Maths kids? But for those that're relying on others' results, well, that's a tough road to hoe, and they're guaranteed to change in a week's time anyway!

The 1st XV "must see" matches in the 3 Rounds remaining for this year, I reckon, will be any game involving Scots (-), Kings (-1 behind) or View (-2 behind), or any game against one of the form "spoilers" in Joeys (lethal Backline) or New (devastating Forwards), both of which teams are in outstanding form.

And for @NIS, relax; I'm not forgetting about Shore. I've no doubt at all that those lads will play out their last 3 games this year as they've done all year - balls to the wall; all in; up'm and into 'em.

The business end has arrived for the Season 2016 'Chocoholics'.

Round 8

There is not an "easy" game in the offing for any team this Round. Wins will be the hardest earned of this Season; any mis-steps costly for any aspirants.

We'll see two leaders play the two form "spoilers", both as 'away' games for the leaders. And in the other match, Shore jagging their first win could effectively end Iggies' tilt at the Title this Round.

So much still to play for!

Joeys v Kings

The Kingsmen must win away to keep their Season alive. It's that simple.

Joeys you can bet, if they had GPS 1's on some SportsBet App (shudder that particular thought), will be out to "avenge" their narrow Rnd 3 loss out at Nth Parra. (See @Sidesteppa's excellent vid posted on page 146.) As the JoeBoys did to Newington in last year's penultimate round, today, they'll want to set a 'contender' right back on their collective backsides.

This will be a classic duel between Kings' Apex predators vs. the Cerise & Blue's sharper than butcher's knives Backline.

I reckon this one has "Draw" written all over it!

New v Scots - an expected massive danger game for the ladder-leaders out at Stanmore, and sure to fully test Scots' D and their mettle. A win to Scots will effectively shut the door on Iggies' challenge this year - who at best, would then still be 2 games / wins behind with just two to play. But a loss to Scots will kick open the same door for both Kings and Iggies in the Premiership race.

This one has to be worth the price of admission. So like The Jackson Five, 'I'll be there'. :)

Round 9 - a key matchup to come.

Given how tight the Comp is this year, it's sort of pointless looking too far ahead, but whatever happens today in Round 8, one match following will almost certainly determine how the 2016 Premiership ends up looking... I think.

Kings v Iggies - the Match of the final Rounds, I reckon. The winner will remain right in the hunt, but whoever loses should be "dusted" as a Premiership contender.

Iggies got up at home in Round 4; oddly enough, their most recent win. Round 9 will be at home for Kings, so it'll be 'Season on the line' stuff, and no place for the faint of heart out in the middle of JS White Oval! Should be a beauty.

But before all that, all the 'unknowns' of Round 8 will become 'knowns' in just a few hours' time! So, go hard and go well boys! :)
 
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